I Can't Let Her Go
by Dimitar
Summary: This is missing/extended scene from "Helen Back Again". Bori friendship. Bade. One-shot


**I was surprised that no one wrote about that scene so decided to do it myself.**

I Can't Let Her Go

The morning had begun so well. Both he and Jade had confirmed their stay in Hollywood Arts the evening before and had gone out celebrating. It had been a very fun evening for them both. This morning, still in a good mood from the night before, he had swung by to pick up Jade and the couple had gone to school as usual together. Once there they saw Cat who was looking sad.

"What's going on Cat?" Beck asked his friend with concern. It wasn't like her to be gloomy at all. "Don't tell me that you failed your audition." He joked. He knew that there was no way for Cat to have failed the audition; the bubbly redhead had a voice of an angel. She sighed and looked at them forlornly. For a second Beck thought that he might have guessed right.

"I did alright, but Tori failed. She is coming here to clear her locker. I'm going to miss her so much." She replied sadly.

"What?" Beck couldn't believe his ears. That was impossible; there was no way for Tori and Andre to fail a musical audition. There must be some mistake. On the other hand their new principal seemed like a very severe woman. Who knows what she was capable of?

"Is Andre expelled too?" asked Jade. Beck felt a little foolish that he hadn't asked about his best friend, who had auditioned with Tori. But he couldn't believe that the new principal would kick out the most talented musician in the school.

"No, it's just Tori." Cat calmed them. Jade's lips curved in a slight smirk. It wasn't a secret for anyone that she didn't like the vivacious Latina. Everything about Tori seemed to irritate her, so the news that she was leaving Hollywood Arts wasn't unwelcome. Beck didn't notice this because he was too shocked by the news. Tori was leaving, she was actually leaving. Over the last nine months this girl had become part of his life. He had grown used to her company, her voice, her laugh. She had become one of his best friends. Ever since she had spilled that coffee on him and they had shared that disastrous first improv scene together he had felt something drawing him to her. Jade had taken this attraction for a romantic interest and it was one of the reasons for her extreme hostility towards the new girl. But it wasn't romantic; at least Beck didn't think so. It was true that Tori is a very beautiful girl, but this was Hollywood Arts, it was full of pretty girls. It was true that she had a lovely voice, but Cat's was even better. Despite her lack of previous training she was a remarkable actor, but Beck knew that there were a few students including him that were better and will remain better than her. No, it wasn't any of these qualities by itself that made Tori Vega so outstanding; it was all of them combined with her indomitable spirit and the charisma that was drawing in almost everyone she met that made her into a remarkable person. Person Beck had grown to love as a friend. Friend that now was standing in front of her locker, emptying it for the last time.

'God, she looks so sad and fragile.' Beck thought looking at her. He felt an almost overwhelming urge to hug her tightly, to tell her that everything will turn out fine, but he didn't want her final moments in Hollywood Arts to be spent arguing with Jade. When Tori turned off the lights of her locker door he felt as if a light was being turned off in his own heart.

"I don't get it. They can't just kick Tori out of school." Beck completely agreed with Robbie's sentiment.

"Yeah, they can." Andre replied dejectedly. He was losing his friend and the best partner he had ever had. Part of him couldn't help but think that he could have done more, played better and sung better.

"Okay, well I'm going home now… forever." Tori said, her voice filled with sadness. Beck looked upon her slim figure, turning around, ready to walk away and out of his life forever. The feeling of loss overwhelmed him, the thought of never sharing a class or a stage with her was unbearable. He knew that his high school years wouldn't be the same without this wonderful, talented, friendly and optimistic girl. He had to do something to prevent this injustice. Almost without thinking he reached and took her by the hand, pulling her back.

"No! You are not leaving this school!" The resolve in his voice surprised even him. He wasn't sure what he and his friends would have to do, but he would not let Tori leave. Of that he was sure.

"But, she has to!" Jade interjected importunately, seeing the appalled faces of all her friends, especially Beck's, she softened her tone somewhat. "I mean, I feel really bad about it, seriously, but you know – bye." She couldn't help but accompany the last word with a small smirk. Under different circumstances Beck would have had a frank discussion with his girlfriend about appropriate displays of animosity, but now his mind was too busy with coming up with a way for Tori to stay in Hollywood Arts, to argue with her.

"I think I'll miss you least of all." Tori could muster only a shadow of her usual annoyance for Jade's barbs. The truth was that she really would miss even Jade and their bickering. After all Jade was much better sparring partner then Trina.

"Wait, what do you mean she is not leaving?" Andre interjected before Jade and Tori could get into an argument.

"I mean we are all going to talk to Helen about this right now." He felt himself fill with resolve. They just had to somehow convince the new principal that Tori deserved a second chance.

"What are you guys going to say?" Tori asked bewildered, her heart was warmed by her friends' desire to stand by her, but what could they possibly do to help her.

"That if you have to leave Hollywood Arts, I'm leaving too." Cat's statement surprised everybody, including her.

"You'll do that for me?" Tori asked the diminutive redhead with surprise. They had become good friends but such a sacrifice was too much.

"No, I really love this school." Cat backpedaled embarrassedly. She liked Tori very much, but this school was one of the few places she felt like she belonged. Everybody looked at each other at a loss.

"Well, I'm going to get some gum." Jade has had enough of this latest Tori-centered drama and left them.

"Come on lets go find Helen." Beck spared a glance at his departing girlfriend and led the rest to find their new principal. Thankfully it all turned out to be just a misunderstanding. Beck was surprised at the amount of relief he felt when it turned out that Tori was staying and it was her sister that had failed. He left her with a quick hug to come up with a way to break the news to Trina and went searching for his surly girlfriend. He found her in the rec-room sitting by a vending machine cutting up a piece of paper into intricate shapes. She looked at him and saw that he was in a good mood.

"So Vega is staying, isn't that wonderful." Jade greeted him sarcastically. "What did you all had to do to keep her here?" Beck raised his eyebrows, but ignored her accusatory tone.

"Nothing, it was just a misunderstanding. It's Trina who failed." He explained sitting next to her.

"Of course, who could possibly dislike Tori Vega? She is so wonderful after all." Her voice dripped with bitterness. She threw away the paper, put away the scissors and turned her back to him.

"Jade, why are you acting like this? Wouldn't you be sad if Cat or Andre failed their auditions and had to leave Hollywood Arts?" He put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently.

"Yes, but I don't dislike them, like I do Vega." She replied angrily, but didn't push away his hands.

"Is this still about the stage kiss? I thought you are over it. Didn't you two fix that in detention?" He had hoped that this along with Tori's help in getting them back together and with Jade's play would warm Jade up to Tori. Obviously he was wrong.

"That kiss was only the first of many things that Vega had done to aggravate me." She continued, her anger replaced again by bitterness. "Ever since she came here she had been slowly taking over my world. Remember how we all used to hang out at your RV, now we mostly go to her house. Remember how we two used to get all the leading roles we cared about, now I have to share them with her. You know I don't like sharing. Sikowitz openly favors her in our arguments in front of him. He used to like me, but now he prefers her. All of my friends are now her friends too. Half the times when I want to spend time with Cat she already has plans with her. And worst of all I now have to share you, with her." Her last words were accompanied by an accusatory stare.

"Jade, you know I love only you." Beck assured her wholeheartedly. He didn't know what else he was supposed to do. He wanted to make her happy, but he wasn't going to lose a dear friend just to soothe her insecurities. If after more than two years together she still didn't trust him, there was precious little he could do about it anyway.

"I know that. I'm not saying that you've cheated or will cheat, but you like her. You like spending time with her. I feel this weird connection between you two and I don't like it at all." She crossed her arms on her chest, but still didn't pull away from him. Beck seized the opportunity and began stroking her arm soothingly.

"I love you with all my heart and I'm prepared to do almost anything to make you happy. But it is not fair to make me choose between love and friendship. All this bitter rivalry between you and Tori is only in your head. She is not out to get you. She is just a girl who wants to fit in a new place. Can't you please try to be civil to her?" He kissed her ear. She grumbled but didn't pull away. "As for the roles and Sikowitz, look at it like a training for the real life. There are going to be many competitors and disappointments ahead of us. You can't hate them all. After all today's competitor may be tomorrow's partner." Jade just sighed and let her arms fall to her sides. Beck knew he had her. "Now let me buy you a coffee and then the terrible injustice that one of our friends didn't get kicked out of school won't seem so bad." They got up and headed for the closest coffee shop. Beck put his arm around his girlfriend and for the entire world looked happy and contented. On the inside he hoped that Jade will eventually make her peace with Tori. Deep in his heart he knew that as much as he loved Jade, he wouldn't be able to let go of Tori.


End file.
